I am Free
by cuzimbored
Summary: She was miserable until he walked into her life. But was he really making her life better or worse?
1. Prologue

Hello darlings,

Haven't chatted with you guys in a while. What you guys been up to?

Me, not much! I heard rumours about me quitting on writing and that I will never post anything anymore. Well, NOT TRUE! I have been writing and editing and working… and if you follow me on Twitter, then you already know the great news! I am getting ready to get published!

But the sad news is, I am now obligated to remove everything from here… you guys understand, right?!

This means that the stories I have not had the time to finish, will be not on here. But, as I will be getting my own personal website, I may be uploading them on my free time. And the stories that I decide to publish will have complete makeovers: new chapters; new characters and some stuff that I will remove. So, although the story will fundamentally stay the same, it will not be told the same way and some scenes will definitely be different.

So, if you are still interested in finding out what I am doing in terms of stories and wanting to finish to read the ones I started here, follow me on twitter (not too good at it but I will write you guys for any big changes) or just PM me or leave a review to let me know that you're still interested and I will make sure to contact you personally.

I will never say enough thank you to you guys, every single one of you, my sweet peas! You have been there for me since day 1 and I will never forget that. Make sure that I receive a message from you and I will give you gifts, discounts and whatnot when the printings are done. I'll even sign them for you before sending them out. Pretentious of me *giggle snort* but I'm excited.

Thank you guys again so much and I hope I'll see all of you in that next chapter I'm taking with my stories.

Love you with all my heart,

Lynn


	2. THANK YOU

**DEDICATED TO ALL THE GIRLS AND WOMEN WHO HAD TO LIVE THROUGH SOME KIND OF PHYSICAL OR VERBAL ABUSE IN THEIR LIVES. JUST KNOW THAT, TOMORROW WILL ALWAYS BE A BETTER DAY.**

It is Saturday April 17, 2010, 8:30 AM and I am feeling so emotional over this.

This was my first fan fiction story ever. Many of you may not know this, but English is my third language so, I was very aware of my difficulties on that level when I first started writing and IAF is my Underdog story. I have evolved so much through this story: at being better in English, being a better writer, a better person and learning my limits. So, this story means so much to me that I cried as I was writing the last words. It is taking me a lot to finally post that last chapter, because posting it means that it's really over and it's hitting me very hard right now.

Of course, I could never do it without the help of a few people and mostly without your reviews and words of encouragement.

First, I want to thank **God **for this incredible gift he gave me. This talent, if I may call it that, is a blessing and helps me get through the day or express all my messed-up emotions and thoughts in form of stories. Thank you Lord.

**Disney**… For making that little movie called High School Musical, so many years ago.

**Troy and Gabriella**... for being so freaking inspiring.

My pals over at the French thread at TH: **Punky, Clem, K and Cappie**. You were the first ones to read to first chapters and cheering me on. Thank you so much. You guys are my sisters and I love you all so much.

My FF club reading pals at TH: **Katy, Joy, Maria, Grace, Tee**. Thank you for your friendship, love and support. May we have many more FF stories to come so that we can keep our discussions flourishing! Love you guys.

**Keyes**… how will I ever find the words? I love you, that's it. I just LOVE YOU.

**Sophie**… Darling! Just one thing: I am sorry that you had to stop reading this because it hit you so close to home. I never meant to hurt you in any way and I am still crying over everything. I owe you so much and I love you with all my heart. And yes, honey, tomorrow is always a better day.

**Marie**… your big heart will always inspire me and thank you so much for taking your time to be there for me, helping me every way you can, despite of everything I know you have to deal with in your own life.

**Kelly, Midnight113, Claudia, Holden, Olivia, Gabriella, Ratzilla, Whirler, Paigee, Weirdozgirl, , Zan Lil**. THANK YOU!!!

Each and every single one of you for reviewing, writing me little messages, adding me to your favorites and alerts. Each and everyone of you who just turn in for each update, yes **Arlyn**, I see you lol You are the best readers a writer could ask for and I am so lucky and fortunate to be able to say that you are my readers. Thank so much from the bottom of my heart.

Accio-love55 ,Aiixoxo ,AmericanDesi, bandgirlsrock, blamethefire, cautious, Cherub Dawn, Clembo29, coolio1206, dhawk, elliec92, emankcin31, froggieluver2280, greentopak, hj1714, hsm'zanessa'lover, hsm827, iminlove13, .kndrgrtn.x3, kateg20, lovesZEandVH, Ltscw, LunaCalabrese, maccanut53, mellanie86, melzzzzzz, 16, Nastasia1568, Nazepilik, palmbeach, PleaseDontLetMeDrown., S P A R K L E . X 0, Shell-Bell87, simmy-cullen, SoWhaat94, sunnycouger, tar heels superstar, taw091300, TheSpeedofSond, trickydancefreak, troyellabrie, TroylovesGabi, Unavailable Account, vanilla902, Vfanforlife, wackystrings215, WildGirl51, XBeThX, XDLoveXD, xMexWithoutxYoux, XXCharisma-cakesXX, xXMaRiEPiNkXx, xxVENAxx, Yuumei-Tenshi, Zacscougar, zanessa22, zanessaloverss123, zanessatogether, .Charmzi., 1HSMWiLdCat, A Dirty Little Secret, adcgordon, Aiixoxo, alexandragrace-xo-, amasaurus, ayenik, bajanroyalty, bakealake, bandgirlsrock, blokkasup, BlondyCasper, bokayjunkie, Brogan6146, bubbicup, casstudies, chri5tin3, danceyourheartout, DesperateDreams, dhawk, elbbubniaevili, ell'b, emankcin31, FoReVeR RaNdoM., froggieluver2280, Helena XD, Holy Cross Baby, I-Fizzy, iminlove13, Its-all-in-the-stars, JAIvY, jamjamjamie302, .kndrgrtn.x3, k2rduk, kerber1920, lalaland252, Lily-Sun, .lov3, Love is 130, loveisepic, LoveZanessaForever, MajOr-HaRdCorE-, minixoxmya, mmp08, 16, musicalnerd187, MUW D'Bellegirl, nikkinicky420, nyychick2, princesstamtam69, Refaya17, rsd42290, singyourheartout, sneal35803, starfish03, starry3y3dangel, superstar22, Sweetnothings01, troyellabrie, TroylovesGabi, uppereastgirl, V-nessa, xalexBx, , xxKellyxx, xZANESSA4LIFEx, zanessa loverrr, zanessa22, zanessa4evr12, zanessaforevertogether, zanessaloverss123, zettaiyo.

I may have forgotten a few friends. If I did, please forgive me because it was not intentional. But know that it was just a simple mistake from me.

And you, who just discovered this story and reading this, thank you as well.

This story has ended but it doesn't mean that our journey has too. I really hope that you will say "yes" to the sequel because I just can't imagine myself not writing about these two anymore. So, all I have left to say now is "See ya!!!" on our next adventure.

See ya!!!

Cuzimbored.


	3. Surprise: Old new stuff !

**A/N : **

Surprise!

How are y'all my darlings? I have received many sad/mad emails after I removed my stories from here and I am saddened that many of you don't get the dynamic behind it all. I am sorry but it had to be done. However, I have managed to get a few things going and I am able to share this with you guys. It is going to be the new chapter 5 of I am free. The whole story is in the first editing process done by me and I have not send it yet for the final editing by the pros so it may not have perfect grammar and spelling. ( Sorry about that as well, but I worked on it, I swear. ) But I decided to share it with you guys anyway because I love you so. And also, as a new year present, I will be able to finish My worst enemy and post it here as a raw draw.

A lot of you wonderful people have also asked me about my new website. I am ashamed to say that it is not yet ready but you can find me by the links in my profile: twitter, facebook, Smashwords and PM me from here, of course! I will finish and publish my other short stories on Smashwords as well so keep posted for info and coupon details. As of my full length stories, it will take longer as this is not in my hands anymore.

Thank you again so much for being with me and for adding me as your fav author still, even though I removed practically everything I had on here. I really love you guys and I miss this site so much.

This chapter here needs no introduction if you have previously read I am Free and you will easily see what part of the story we are in. And to make it easier, I am still using the amazing "High school Musical" platform and the characters have not changed; though they will be in the future. Hope you will like it!

Happy new year to everyone and all my best wishes !

**~.~**

**1**

She's always had a good head on her shoulders. Nearly 18 years old and she had managed to stay away from all the major drama and stupid mistakes young girls her age often got themselves into. Although it had a big part to do with the fact that she was raised in a strict religious family with strong values, Gabriella believed that she had to owe it to herself to have never been in a situation she couldn't control or didn't want to be in.

Not to say that her life was boring but she personally believed that really existed some good, clean fun in this world. She never felt the need to expose some mid-drift skin or cleavage to have boys notice her; she didn't need to be loud or 'out there' to feel like she belonged. She's never been particularly a thriving teenager but she was never completely lost either.

And if weren't for what happened a year ago that made her completely turn south, she was pretty darn sure that she would have had a pretty decent life, following the regular course chosen by the majority of the world's population : go to school, get a career then a husband, buy a house and raise her own kids. And that was pretty much how she was programmed to see her future expanding.

But it turned out that the future can bear great surprises and that was the new her : sarcastic, rebellious and dark. Whether people liked it or not, that was who she chose to be now. She hadn't completely redefined who that 'new her' was or where exactly she would draw the new line. Because had she been her old self, she would have left the minute she got out of the car and fathomed the big mess the night was going to be.

Of course, Taylor had told her that it was probably going to be a simple gathering of friends - which is good because we surely could use some new ones, she had added- but as Gabriella was reluctantly walking up the flowery path that led to the backyard of the gigantic house, she silently counted the amount of cars already stationed and realized that this party could be labelled as everything but small. A valet was trying to guide everybody and to prevent the cars from parking on the grass and flowers, but it was easier said than done. The poor guy was waving his flag and yelling as a demented, yet no one was paying attention to him.

She heard party music blasting out from everywhere and the closer they got, the more deafening it became, competing with all the shouting, screaming and whooing of unrestrained -and most likely inebriated- teenagers. The gigantic mounting lights all around the property helped everyone find their way and as soon as they crossed the big double wooden doors left opened, Gabriella's mouth hung wide open seeing exactly what she had gotten herself into.

"Holly crap!" She heard Taylor shout, which translated exactly how she felt and her first reaction was to turn back and run away. But the people pushing behind her made it difficult to even walk and Taylor made sure to hold her hand firmly. "Not that easy, Missy."

"I am not staying here," Gabriella replied loudly, trying to make herself heard while pointing a finger to the crowd of teenagers.

"Two hours," Taylor pleaded, looking in her eyes. "If in two hours you are still not having fun, we'll leave." Gabriella opened her mouth to reply but her friend cut her short. "Don't tell me you'd rather be at home playing the warm, nice stepdaughter right now!"

Gabriella's lips became a straight line before she cursed. It had been and still is the best argument her best friend could find to blackmail her with. And Taylor was right for she'd really rather spend hours going through labored and fake laughs with a bunch of drunken kids, she didn't even know, than be at her mother's.

Once again defeated, she let a victorious and smiling Taylor fight the people in front of them as she brought her in with her arm around her shoulders. But she couldn't help but cringe as her eyes slowly studied her surroundings.

Everybody was practically half naked with the guys in speedos and girls in tiny bikinis, some even with their tops off, making splashes or making out in the enormous 8-shaped pool. She didn't need to see all the red cups already littering the whole backyard to know that alcohol was the beverage of choice for the smell was all that was floating in the air. The music was mostly coming from the pool house on the left, where she supposed the DJ was, with speakers strategically placed on every corner.

As her eyes followed through, she wondered if there really weren't any adults as she still hadn't noticed anyone but people her age or slightly above. Nothing, absolutely nothing good was to come out of this, she was sure of it. But her thoughts were cut short by her friend pulling at her hand and her eyes followed the direction she was pointing to. She caught Taylor's boyfriend, Jason Cross, talking to a couple of guys.

"See? Told you, he knew people here," Taylor said with her mouth next to her ear.

"I guess two out of a thousand is more than nothing," she shouted back. She frowned and took a moment to look down at herself and felt uncomfortable with her black four-inch heels that matched her purse and the fuchsia dress that reached just above the knees. And although the dress left her shoulders and back bare, only covered by her hair that cascaded in curls, she had chosen it because of its long sleeves. But now, she was starting to regret her choice. "You didn't tell me there was going to be a pool. Aren't we a little over-dressed?"

Taylor first looked down at her own black dress covered with a high-waist leather jacket, then over at her friend. "You got matching underwear, don't you?"

Taylor nodded. "With white laces."

"Then no, we're good."

Gabriella scoffed and watched Jason as he walked up to them. She eyed the two cups he handed her and Taylor and slowly picked it up. The red liquid inside seemed legit enough if not by the strong smell of alcohol coming out of it.

"Spiked punch, I presume?" Taylor asked.

"Are there any other kinds?" Jason replied before going around her girlfriend to hug her with both arms and planted a kiss on the side of her neck.

"No," she protested and tried to free herself from him. "Gabi said she always feels like a third wheel whenever she's with us so we're gonna behave tonight."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and tried to keep her stance when a group of chatty girls pushed her out of their way. "Right! Like you two could ever behave when you're around each other. Go on," she added with a forced smile. "Go dance, have fun. I'll be here... mingling."

Taylor looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Mingling?"

Gabriella let out a real laugh this time. "It means I won't leave." Taylor sent her an even more suspicious look. "I promise. Okay, you know what? Here." She brought the red cup to her mouth and took a careful sip. But not careful enough as the burning and stinging taste of the alcohol made her cough loudly. "Fuck, that's strong."

"Prissy yougen! You need to drink more of it," Jason laughed, causing both girls to glare at him.

"What she needs is to find a boyfriend who is not as retarded as you are," Taylor spat at him before touching Gabriella's shoulder. "I can stay with you."

"No really, go." Gabriella insisted. "I'll be fine."

And as Taylor still looked unconvinced, she turned around and left them, fighting to find her way through. She understood that her friends needed some time alone and she wasn't going to spoil the night for them. Besides, she was a big girl. She could take care of herself. She just needed to find a quiet spot, if there were any of course, and just lay low until they were ready to leave. But by judging how great the party was going, she guessed it could take some time before Taylor got tired or bored.

She was walking slowly in between the crowd and headed towards the pool house. All the lounge chairs were taken so she had no choice but to lean against the green colored wall to remove her shoes. It would be hard to spend hours standing on those heels and besides, she didn't want to ruin them with the splashing water or by having some drunken idiot puke on them. She brought the cup to her mouth again and drank, her eyes still scanning her pairs.

And that's when she saw them. She would have recognized them anywhere, specially her, the queen bee herself, Sharpay Evans. She was surrounded by her usual leeches and a tall muscled guy she recognized from the basketball team, was practically sucking the breath out of her mouth. Gabriella gasped as her heart jumped. No, it couldn't be. The only night she's agreed to come to a place like this and she-devil had to be there too. What? Was all the town invited to this stupid party? What was so special about it?

"Of course," she whispered as she suddenly remembered. How could she have been so oblivious? This party was only announced at St Denis for about a month now with fliers posted everywhere, invitations sent out to the coolest kids at the school and Sharpay loudly yapping about it every second she got. It was her eightieth birthday party.

Which meant that this was her house, her turf and if she or one of her followers saw her here, every small, fictitious chance there was of her having a good time would be flushed down the toilet. Which meant she had to get out of there quickly. She began to walk as fast as she was allowed, heading to the last spot she last saw her friends, when someone grabbed her by the hand. She startled and turned around to see Ryan Evans smiling at her and pulling her towards him.

"Shit." She quickly bit her lip when she realized that the word was said out loud.

"Glad to see you too," he shouted.

"I'm sorry, that's not what I meant to say." He looked at her with incredulity and she sighed. "You just surprised me."

He nodded, his blue eyes twinkling. "Well, I'm the one surprised. I mean, I've only invited you hundred times this past week for you to say no and yet, here you are."

"Yeah," Gabriella answered embarrassingly while fixing a curl behind her ear. "Of all the parties my friends could have dragged to, it had to be your sister's."

"So that was you running away?"

"Running...?" She started, feeling a little offended at him clearly telling her that she was scared of Sharpay. She wasn't scared; she just liked to be away from '_the bad seed_' as much as possible. "No, I just wanted to find my friends... to tell them that I had to leave."

His smile disappeared and he stayed silent for a quick second before he leaned down, looking at her straight in the eyes. She caught the intensity of his stare and unconsciously held her breath.

"I know my sister made it all about her, but it might come as a surprise to you that it is also my birthday." She sent him a sarcastic look but he continued. "Yeah, I know! My mom keeps telling me we were born on the same day. She's never showed me any proof though."

Gabriella couldn't stop the smile crawling up on her face.

"So technically, that makes it my party as well and I did invite you. Over and over again," Ryan added while backing up.

"Happy birthday," she answered. "But I still can't stay."

"How about this?" Ryan raised both his hands in front of her and spoke rapidly. "You see the pool house and the general area around it? It is my sister's favorite hanging place with all of her friends. Whereas there," he now pointed towards the back entrance of the house. "Is my hanging place with _my_ friends. So, as long as you stick with me, there is a very good chance of my sister never finding out you're even here."

Gabriella's eyes shifted to Sharpay, still surrounded by her bosom kissers and laughing hysterically. Maybe if she kept her distance, stayed hidden among the throng of partying people, she could really avoid the apocalypse that would ensue if the blond girl knew she was there. Besides, she did promise herself not to bother Taylor and Jason and let them have some fun. Plus, leaving now would mean going back home and... well... definitely not an option.

She looked back at Ryan and caught the expectant look in his eyes. If calling and messaging her everyday to invite her to the party wasn't sign enough that he wanted her there, his posture said it all. And once again, she asked herself why he was so interested in her. She resembled absolutely not like all the girls she seen him befriend at St Denis and never had she given him a hint that she was into him.

Her eyes studied his square jaw, the fine features of his face before sliding down his body. For the first time since they started talking, she noticed that he was only wearing a swimming suit, just like all the other guys around them. But only a few could pull being half naked so well and Ryan Evans was definitely bringing sexy back.

Training for the wrestling team really built up his entire body, from head to toes. She couldn't help but to follow with her eyes the happy trail going from his chest, down his six-packs to end inside his shorts. Taylor's comment about making out with a hot guy came back to her mind and she pouted. Ryan was as good as any other hot guy, she supposed. And whether she wanted to admit it or not, she definitely owed him for being the only one at school standing up for her. Being a hall monitor really made it easy for him to stop or at least, put down to a strict minimum, the bullying she was subjected to.

If only she could feel something else for him other than gratitude. But that was a start, right? Maybe along the way, she'll end up feeling bananas for him and swoon over him like the girls of those romantic junk she used to read. Her stare got back into his and she slowly nodded.

"All right. Keep Cruella away from me and I'll stay." His huge smile came back and he placed his hand around her waist to guide her to the patio, unnoticed.

About an hour later, she had just finished gulping down her third -or is it the fourth?- drink and laughed loudly at a joke that she would have probably found super lame if she wasn't tipsy. Sitting right next to Ryan, leaning unto his solid chest, she had no idea where her shoes were, where her friends were or even what Ryan kept pouring down her cup anymore. All that she was aware of, was the fact that she had really succeeded in not meeting Sharpay at all and that the guys from the wrestling team were all just so hot and funny. How come she's never noticed that before?

"Come with me." She stopped laughing to look at Ryan who had whispered in her ear and smiled cheekily when she realized that his lips were really close to hers.

"Where to?" A few seconds went by as he took the time to look at her and Gabriella really thought that he was about to kiss her. But he just stood up and without a word, pulled her up by the hands. "Is it a surprise or something?"

He still didn't answer so she just leaned onto him as he walked her up to the sliding doors giving access inside the house. She put her back against the wall as she watched him come out with a set of key out of nowhere and unlock the doors.

"Are you sure this is your house?" She joked and saw him smile.

"The doors are to remain locked at all times as we are not allowed to go inside." He turned to look at her as he slid one of the panels to let her in.

"Then why are you taking me inside the house?" She asked as her eyes were wandering about.

She had just stepped inside one of those home style magazine pages, she thought. Her eyes couldn't see absolutely everything from only the lights coming from outside but she could tell that it was designed with class and style. From the beautiful and extremely big carpet, to the large portraits up the walls, this was definitely the biggest hallway she had ever walked in. She held her breath as she looked up and could barely see the ceiling that was at least a hundred feet high. A huge staircase with two entrances ended the hall and as she leaned her head to the side, she saw double doors with huge windows that she guessed would probably be the main entrance.

"Your house is amazing."

"Thanks," Ryan chuckled after locking the doors behind them and guiding her again.

But she was less inclined to follow this time and he had to pull her a little. "Are you taking me up to your room?" She asked, slowly walking up the stairs. "Mr. Evans, are you thinking of taking advantage of a defenseless, drunken girl?"

"Are you really that drunk?"

She stopped right in the middle of the staircase and thought about it. "No, I can still knee you in the groin if need be."

Another chuckle. "Then no, I won't take advantage of you. I just want to be alone with you."

"Good," she smiled as she continued climbing up. "Because that would ruin any chance you'd have with me."

"Do I really have any chance with you?" Ryan asked while opening the door of what she believed was his bedroom. She didn't answer but just stepped inside, once again looking all around her.

His room had nothing particular and although she had never set foot in a boy's room before, she was certain that most of them were like that. Poorly decorated in white with a bed, bedside tables; a desk with a computer and in the corner, a huge closet. She held her breath as she heard him close the door and felt him stand right behind her.

"So this is your room?" She said with a frail voice.

"Do I have any chance with you?" Ryan asked again. Up the stairs, it seemed as if the music and loud noise from the party had tamed and she could clearly hear him as though he had spoke in a very low voice.

"Whoa," she jumped when he placed both his palms on her waist to bring her closer to his chest. She turned around to face him and gently pushed him while taking a step away from him. "Any chance for what?" She tried to sound as light as possible but winced as he raised his hand to swipe a strand of hair behind her ear.

"For me to touch you and not have you flinch or jump away," he replied in a serious tone. "Or for you to actually call me back or just simply, answer when I call you."

She let out an embarrassed chuckle. "Hum..."

"What would it take for you to go out with me?"

Well, that was pretty straightforward. The new her adored straightforwardness. She smiled coyly again before taking another step back. "I don't know," she shrugged. "Maybe... if you hadn't blackmailed me into giving you my phone number, I would have been happy to answer your calls."

He looked at her intensely and took a step forward. "All right," he calmly let out. "Let's start over." He smiled adorably. "Hi, my name is Ryan Ev... What's so funny?"

Gabriella quickly put a hand on her mouth to keep her hysterical laugh in. Ryan rolled his eyes while throwing both his hands in the air.

"I'm sorry. It's just... is that your signature move or something? The hair swipe and the wink?"

She swiped her hair to the side with one flip of the head while winking back at him. Then, she started laughing again.

"I've been told that I also have the smoldering, intense look," he replied while taking a plunge in her eyes. Gabriella bit her lips very hard not to laugh at his face again and did her best not to run away as he ran his thumb against her right cheek. "And that I am a great kisser."

She watched him as he got closer and closer, his lips slightly parted while closing his eyes and it was all she could take before she couldn't hold her laughter anymore. She put both her hands on his chest to find leverage as the laughter was shaking her up, bringing tears to her eyes. She had expected for him to get mad, kick her out or do something, anything... but Ryan just stayed quiet, waiting for her to regain control.

When she finally was able to stand up straight and apologize, he surprised her even more by talking with a very sweet voice.

"I've never seen you laugh so much. Actually, I don't think I've even ever seen you smile before." He paused and brought her chin up with one finger. "And you are so beautiful."

Gabriella frowned, fighting hard with herself to let go. One kiss. She could allow him one kiss. It wouldn't kill her. But she stepped back again, when the idea actually repulsed her instead of putting desire in her. What the heck was wrong with her?

"Ryan," she begun, this time completely regaining her seriousness. "You obviously brought me up here to make out and... I know that most of the girls at school would kill to be where I am right now but..."

"You're not into me." He concluded for her and she forced a smile.

"You are such a sweet guy, it's just... I've been going through some... terrible things with my family this past year and I am not at a moment where I can invest in any kind of relationship right now."

"Oh, so now you're giving me the 'it's not you, it's me' speech?" Ryan asked with no humor in his voice. "Are we breaking up before we even get together?"

"I'm just being straight with you," Gabriella clarified firmly. "I am not looking for any kind of boyfriend/girlfriend relationship at the moment."

"You're just a fucking tease, aren't you?"

"What?" Gabriella exclaimed at his voice suddenly going up. She had to step back again as he walked even closer to her, caging her against the foot of his bed. She breathed in when she realized that only one push from him could make her fall on the mattress but thankfully, Ryan stopped.

"You spent the last hour teasing me." He cut her off when she tried to speak again. "You leaning on me, your hands on my thighs... you think I didn't know you wanted me to take you here, in my room?"

Gabriella scoffed and put both her hands up in an effort to push him away again and mumbled her words. "I'm sorry, I... I never wanted to tease you. It was... it was the liquor I kept on drinking and... I... never meant to... I don't want to sleep with you."

"When?" She looked at him with a puzzled look and he explained. "When will you willing to let me love you?" She held her breath in when he ran a slow finger down her cheek again but this time, his voice was back to its previous softness. "I can wait for you. Just tell me when."

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. 'Never, I just don't feel that way for you,' was what she wanted to shout at him before running out. But she quickly fathomed that she probably needed to keep his friendship unscathed if she still wanted him to be on her side and protect her at St Denis. She had to find a way to let him down gently or even keep him expecting.

But she silently thanked her good luck as she heard his name being called loudly from down the stairs. Ryan cursed under his breath and hurried out of the room before asking her not to move or make a sound. She sighed of relief before she quickly walked up to the door and listened in. A muffled voice about stuff missing for the party and a warning about not letting anyone go up the rooms. She bit her lip when she realized she could get in trouble if they found her in his room and waited until the voices died out before slowly crawling out.

After being careful on the stairs going down, she started following the same hall she came in but smiled and stopped as she heard the music. It was very faint but enough for her to follow it to know where it came from. She could have recognized the familiar sound even in her sleep. Super Mario Bros, her favorite. She thought that she actually was the only one who still possessed the Nintendo game. How many hours had she spent playing it late at night when her parents thought she was sleeping! It was her first video game and although all the new ones were far better structured, she still liked the simplicity of it.

She anxiously looked around her and brought her lower lip inside her mouth. No signs of Ryan or anyone else. She exhaled once more, debating whether she should follow her curiosity or play it safe and go back out. But as she took a step forward, the sounds of the games and laughter became more powerful and she turned her head to her left. She tiptoed in and her eyes, that had gotten used to the semi-obscurity, peeked inside the ajar door. She carefully pushed it open, getting one foot inside, eager to see who was playing. It was either a family room or a game room or could it be a home theater? She opted for some combination of the three. A pool table was at a corner, next to a row of old arcades. She turned her head to see a gigantic TV screen, facing a line of big comfy chairs placed next to each other.

She couldn't clearly see their faces, but she could tell that the boys inside weren't that much older than she was. One of them had a frizzy mane that reminded her of Andrea's and the other one had a military style haircut with his hair cut very short. With their backs turned to her, she could hear their laughter, visibly enjoying their game. She wondered why they decided to play the old Nintendo version when they had, on a big shelf at their right, different other type of game systems and a whole wall filled with games cases, she recognized to be brand new.

They were located in the princess' castle and fighting over who would gather the most coins to increase their lives before heading to free the princess from her alligator captor. They were fighting each other, trying to hold each others joystick to prevent the other from getting the coins. She smiled, amused by their complicity.

"Can we help you?" The guy with the Afro was looking at her a big smile.

"What are you doing inside the house?" The other one inquired with a deep but so much more serious tone. "Who let you in?"

Aghast, she started stuttering. "No. I... I'm just leaving. I'm sorry."

In a hurry to disappear, she took a step back before sharply turning around and gasped when she came in contact with something hard behind her. Her mouth still opened from her surprise, she stayed immobile when she finally realized that it was Sharpay she hit so hard. Both girls, surprised, stood still looking at each other and, as if instructed to, both their stares lowered down to Sharpay's chest.

Gabriella gulped loudly and her eyes almost went out of their sockets as she watched the green mixture that looked like guacamole dip, run down Sharpay's body. The big bowl made a loud clunk as it reached the floor where Sharpay dropped it, but it was the screeching sound that had her hair stand all over her body.

"Oh, my god, I am so sorry," Gabriella instinctively apologized to the screaming young girl completely covered with green goo. But somehow, choosing the worst timing ever, her need to laugh came out again and she barely held it in, wishing she had her phone with her so she could take a picture. She quickly covered her mouth to hide her laughter but her shoulders and body couldn't stop shaking.

"You bitch!" Sharpay shouted, obviously furious.

"I didn't know you were standing there." Gabriella breathed in to calm down but it only seemed to make the young girl even madder as she started crying hysterically.

"My dress. My beautiful dress." She raised her crying eyes to Gabriella. "Do you have any idea how much my father paid for that dress, you skank?"

"Shar, what happened?"

Gabriella spotted from the corner of her eyes the two guys walking up to them and she looked at the one who had talked. It was the one with the military hairstyle and she frowned when she noticed the piercing on his right eyebrow that contrasted with the severity his haircut was giving his face.

"She, happened." Sharpay pointed at her and Gabriella jerked away, feeling the boys stares on her.

"I said I was sorry. I didn't see you."

"The hell you didn't. You did it on purpose. What the hell are you doing here anyway? Who invited you?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm leaving," Gabriella raised both her hands in defeat and started walking out when she was jerked back by her hair. She growled at the pain and turned around to face Sharpay. "Are you crazy?"

"If you think you can come here, ruin my dress and my party then just leave, you've got another thing coming," Sharpay furiously spat at her, taking a menacing step forward.

"You don't scare me," Gabriella took a step forward as well, now angry. "You never did and you never will."

"All right now, ladies. Let's all take a deep breath."

"Stay out of this, Troy," Sharpay answered rigidly. Gabriella briefly took a look at the one Sharpay called Troy, the same one who intervened earlier but was now standing closer, as if ready to hold them off if they ever decided to fight. "You don't get it," the blond girl continued. "Ever since that bitch came to school, she's been all over my case and humiliating me. It's time to settle the score once and for all."

"Bring it," Gabriella whispered furiously under her breath. She personally hated physical fights but she too, had a score to settle. And now was a good time as any.

"I said enough." The one called Troy walked in between them, one hand pressed on Sharpay's shoulder before turning to look at Gabriella. "I don't know how you got inside the house but I think you should leave."

"She's not going anywhere because she's here with me."

They all simultaneously turned to the other end of the hall to see Ryan walking up to them before standing next to Gabriella and wrapping her waist with his hand. Her first instinct was to push him away but, for some reason, she let him.

"You?" Sharpay screeched, seemingly outraged. "You got her here? How dare you?"

"No, how dare you treat one of my guests like this?" Ryan riposted.

Sharpay's mouth opened wide, as if she was desperately searching for air, making her look like a fish out of water. A giant fish in a vivid pink-sequined dress, covered with guacamole. Gabriella quickly bit her lip again not to laugh at the image that popped in her mind.

"It is also my party, Sharpay and I can invite whoever I please," Ryan stepped closer, furious. "And you have no right to treat a friend of mine this way."

"Friend? Since when...?" Sharpay stopped and her eyes became really wide while she raised a finger at her brother. "I get it. You wanna get back at me for telling mom that you slept with Lindsay the tramp next door. That's it! Right?"

"Alright, kiddos." The one called Troy intervened again, this time looking straight at Sharpay. "I think we've just crossed a certain line here."

Gabriella watched his movement and closed her eyes, shaking her head when she saw a bunch of kids from the party, standing behind them and swallowing each one of their words. They must have heard their shouting and got in after Ryan to see what was going on. The night was getting better and better.

Boy, how stupid was she for thinking that everything would go smooth? How could she ever think that she could be in the same house as Sharpay and not having a nuclear war begin? She had to get out there and fast. She pushed Ryan out of her way, shoved everyone else and ran down the hallway to the patio. The loud music caught her off guard and she stopped one minute, trying to figure out where to go next through the crowd.

She had just caught her shoes she had left where she was sitting earlier along with her bag when she felt her hand being pulled back and instinctively retrieved it, her anger still flaming.

Ryan was standing besides her, with a worried face. "Gabriella, I'm sorry." She didn't answer and just stood on one foot after the other to put her shoes on. "Listen, my sister can be a world class bitch but don't mind her. I meant what I said, you are my guest and you don't have to go."

"We both know I have to." Her voice was flat, unemotional and her stare cold. "I should have left the minute I realized it was her party."

Ryan cursed in his breath and held her hand again. "No, don't go. Please. For me."

She shook her head again, freeing her hand from his grip. "I'll see you Monday at school. Happy birthday."

She begun to walk away but he followed her. "How will you get home? I can drive you if you want." He was nervously keeping his hair out his face by styling it back with his hand.

"That's not necessary. I'll just get my friends," she replied with a firm tone. "Good night."

She walked away with hurried steps, feeling Ryan's eyes following her. Once in the backyard, she massaged her temples beating from a headache and rapidly stepped away from the pool as a naked guy jumped, splashing water on everything or everyone nearby. Now, where the hell were Taylor and Jason? She squinted her eyes, trying to locate where they were and finally saw them, slow dancing in a corner and lost in a passionate kiss. She didn't have the courage to disturb them. They had managed to avoid the drama she just escaped from, why would she bring it to them? She decided to just leave without telling them. She'll explain later.

She followed the same illuminated route she came in and stopped in front of the house, looking at the vehicles that came late and had to park right on the curb. She breathed in deeply and picked up her phone in the purse, looking at it pensively. It was only nine thirteen and her mother wasn't expecting her until at least eleven O'clock.

"Great!" She sneered. "So much for expecting to go back after they've fallen asleep."

Maybe if she walked home instead of calling a cab, she would kill, let's say... two hours. Gabriella bit her lips; tempting but... she didn't know this part of town really well. Although walking would do her so much good. For a quick second she really considered it as she needed to cool off. If she got home in that mood, she was sure to have another fight with her mother. And it was the last thing she needed right now. Damn her, for letting Taylor talk her into wearing heels.

'_Why don't you just take them off?'_ A voice inside her head asked.

"That's an idea," she mumbled and quickly froze, realizing that she was talking to herself. She giggled, her shoulders shaking while bringing a hand over her face. The truth was, she didn't know if she should laugh or cry at the fact that she was on the verge of losing her sanity. And she yelped from surprise when a hand suddenly tapped her shoulder.

"Whoa… Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." She got even more surprised to see the tall guy with the military hairstyle and eyebrow piercing, standing in front of her. The one called Troy. His face was partly hidden in the dark but she could tell he had a smile on his face. "I don't know your name so…" He continued. "My name's Troy. I'm Ryan and Sharpay's brother."

**2**

Gabriella had no idea the twins had a brother. When she saw him earlier, she would have never guessed as he physically didn't look anything like them. From the color of his hair that was rather brown than blond to his body that was far more rugged and looked far stronger than even Ryan's. And he was so much taller. Even with her added four inches, she guessed that the top of her head would probably just reach his shoulder.

But it wasn't just his height that made him seem so impressive and so ridiculously hot; there was definitely something about him she couldn't quite explain yet. She felt like she was really looking at him now, not being distracted by a screeching Sharpay, and thought it was just impossible for them to be siblings. Perhaps he was adopted, she pondered. Or maybe, nature made it so that he was grazed with the virile looks of their father while the twins inherited the delicacy and beauty of their mother.

Or it could be the opposite; although she really couldn't picture their mother being so manly. He wasn't exactly in-your-face, overtly handsome like Ryan but he had a very strong masculinity and charm oozing out of him. And his long-sleeved flannel shirt shaped his body perfectly and didn't miss a beat at showing his bulging muscles; from his biceps, his chest, down to his flat stomach. The shirt fell carelessly over his black straight jeans that fitted him wonderfully.

As the lights coming from the backyard only let her see part of his face, Gabriella clearly remembered the little piece of jewelry on top of his right eyebrow that so severely contrasted with the short military haircut that made his face look so severe and somehow, made him look so bad-ass. In all of the word's definitions.

"I saw you standing here and I just wanted to make sure that you were alright and…. apologize for the way my sister treated you." Gabriella frowned at the sound of his voice. It wasn't the first time she heard him talk but somehow, he sounded different. Was it the tone that had changed from ordering she and Sharpay to calm down but was now, almost whispering?

Once again she couldn't resist comparing him to Ryan as she decided that the deep tone she was hearing in his voice now, sounded so much more... virile and soothing. She could easily imagine how beautiful and captivating his voice could be, just like James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman, reading her favorite poems. She wondered how old he was for looking so mature and so sure of himself without looking one bit arrogant but just...

Gabriella blinked as his hand wiggled in front of her eyes and she took a breath as she was brought back. She immediately noticed the mocking smile at the right corner of his mouth. She crossed both her arms on her chest and raised her chin.

"Do you always apologize for your sister's behavior... Troy?" She asked him with irritation lacing her voice.

He chuckled. He just laughed very quietly while putting both his hands in his front jeans pockets. And it was just the most adorable thing in the world.

"Touche," Troy replied with his beautiful smile now reaching his ears. He ran a hand over his head and scratched the back of his neck. "Actually I never apologize for my sister. That would definitely take up too much of my time." His hand went back inside his pocket and he slightly bent his upper body over to her, looking at her straight in the eyes. "But can I just do it anyway?"

Gabriella bit her lower lip, feeling troubled by his proximity. "Why?" She asked hesitantly.

"Somebody has to. I don't care what happened between you and my sister but she was rude with you and..."

"You're doing it again," she cut him off in a dry tone. His pierce eyebrow went up in a questioning manner and she clarified. "Apologizing for Sharpay's behavior."

He opened his mouth to talk but instead, sighed heavily while standing up straight. He slowly nodded. Their eyes stayed locked into each others and Gabriella swallowed, slowly losing her assurance. It was as if his stare was undressing her, getting deep under her skin and she held her breath right before looking down, feeling her cheeks burning. What the hell? Why was she blushing?

"So, what are you doing here standing in the dark by yourself? Are you waiting for my brother?"

God, what was it with his voice that was so damn sexy? Gabriella swallowed and brought her head back up. "No, I, hum..." She showed him the cell phone she was still holding. "I was actually about to call a cab."

Troy acquiesced again. "You can spare the cab fare by letting me give you a ride." He proposed.

Gabriella let her head fall to the side. "And why would you do that?"

He tilted his head to the opposite side of hers. "Because I'm a white knight and I'm always jumping at a chance to rescue a fair maiden in need."

"Are you, now?" She answered while trying not to smile. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I am in need of anything. And even if I were, I can rescue myself."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Troy replied. "Not so many people can withhold my sister's rage and you totally impressed me earlier." It was now her time to open her mouth wordlessly and watched him curiously as he continued. "I really thought my brother would take care of you when he followed you outside. But when he came back in, barking Sharpay's name while climbing the stairs two by twos to her room, I figured that you were either already gone or that, well, he didn't do his boyfriend's duties properly..."

"Ryan is not my boyfriend," Gabriella quickly clarified abruptly and bit her lip immediately. She wasn't sure why she had hurried up telling him that but she felt it somewhat important that she did. And it was the truth anyway. She wasn't going to let people assume they were together just because they spent some time hanging out at a party.

"Okay," Troy continued, slowly after half a second, before shaking his head as if wanting to clear his mind. "The point is, I saw you through the windows, standing there all alone in the middle of the street and I wanted to make sure you were alright and that you would get to your house, or wherever you're going after this, safely."

"Interesting," Gabriella mused. "Who would have thunk the queen of all evil herself would have such a thoughtful knight for brother?" She watched Troy laugh again, his eyes lightly closing and she frowned when her heart suddenly missed a beat, feeling heavy in her chest.

'_What was that?_' The little voice in her head inquired and Gabriella quickly looked down at her hands that were getting wet; a nervous tick she had fought with ever since she was a little girl. But, she had no reason to be nervous now, right? '_Right?_' The little voice asked her again.

"So, how about that ride?" Troy's voice brought her back and yet again, she took a deep breath while looking at him with big eyes.

She had to find a way to get out of this and regroup. Think about this new thing coming over her just by seeing him smile...

'_That seducing smile of his that has sex written all over it_.'

She mentally shouted at the voice in her mind to shut up and replaced a fugitive hair behind her ear. She could simply say no but something was telling her that he wasn't the kind to easily swallow a 'no' and just move on.

"I wouldn't want to take you away from the party," she finally said after scratching her throat.

"Oh, please, I'm begging you," He replied in an imploring tone. "Take me away." She looked at him puzzled and he explained. "I got tricked into chaperoning but I'm so bad at it and I don't think there's much I can do, is there? I mean, these kids are already drunk out of their minds." They both simultaneously turned to look towards the backyard and Gabriella could swear she saw him shiver. "The one thing I was able to do was to make sure no one got inside the house but, you already showed everyone the way in, didn't you?"

Gabriella couldn't hold her smile this time and lowered her head one more time as her cheeks became crimson again when his voice went down a deeper octave.

"So the least you can do, is allow me to take you, and myself, far away from here." He declared with some sort of weird logic.

Gabriella's eyes met up with his again. She surely couldn't see them as clearly as she would like to but she would bet that they were just beautiful. They looked so much more darker and mysterious than Ryan's, like they could tell her a thousand stories from a thousand continents he lived in for a thousand years. They were hypnotizing her into agreeing to his proposal and she shook her head, feeling slightly dizzy. What. The. Hell? Was it still the alcohol in her veins? Yes, that's it! That was just the stupid liquor still making her acting up.

She cleared her throat. "So all in all, you really don't care about my safety. You just want to grab an excuse to get the hell out of here." He smiled again and her heart faltered. "That's pretty selfish of you, you know?" She added with a voice way much frailer than she wanted.

"Absolutely!" He agreed in a playful tone."I'm the only one who counts in this equation."

"How about that other guy you were playing Mario Bros with?"

"I'll trade him anytime for a beautiful girl like you," Troy replied softly, his eyes once again, running all over her from head to toes.

Gabriella bit her tongue when her heart made one of its -now regular- little jumps and scoffed. She wanted to just hit him for being so suave and such a smart-ass. That was actually one thing he and Ryan had in common: they knew how to speak to a girl to make her go potty. Well, she wouldn't go down easily; she was smarter than that. Now if only she could laugh in his face like she did with Ryan and not feel so nervous and excited at the idea of spending more time with him.

Even if it meant going back to her mother's house now. No, wait... nuh huh! Once again, the idea made her want to puke and she sharply turned around to look at the neighborhood, quickly weighing her options.

For as long as she could remember, she had never felt so moved by just the presence of a boy next to her. Although she wanted to blame it all on the alcohol, she knew very well that it was a lie. Yes, the liquor helped let her guard down but she was always in control and it didn't make her feel any different towards Ryan nor pushed her to sleep with him, like he obviously was planning on doing, when he brought her up to his room.

And it sure wasn't the alcohol making her want to spend the whole night with this guy. That was just her. Because she liked him; plain and simple. She liked his voice that was smooth and sexy; his eyes that seemed able to see right through her and his whole presence that overwhelmed her. And the strangest thing was that it didn't take long at all; just a few minutes standing in a semi-darkness on the side of a sidewalk were enough. Why wouldn't she pursue it and see where it would go? That was what the 'new her' all about, right? Live the seventy-height days left of her life to the fullest.

'_Now, with the cons._' The pesky little voice of prudence chimed in her head.

First, she wasn't raised like that, she pondered. On the contrary, she's always been educated to never get in a car with the first guy that came along. Second, hot or not, he was nothing but a stranger who could actually hurt her. Besides, the last time she had decided to follow a guy had resulted in a catastrophe, and she shouldn't forget that this one too, was Sharpay's brother.

Gabriella turned on her heels again, hesitating and not sure at all of her decision. Troy was firmly standing behind her, hands still buried in his front pockets, patiently waiting for her answer. She bit her lower lip again and briefly closed her eyes.

"I got a mace in my bag in case you'd want to try anything funny," she talked fast, scared to hear her own words but also, afraid she'd back out. He smiled again and she spoke even faster."But I don't want a ride home. I want to go somewhere else."

She watched his smile disappear and his eyebrow carrying the curve barbell, go up, obviously marking his surprise to her request. She stayed silent, scratching her mind for a place where she could ask him to take her but came up with nothing. She never had a night life before and never took the time to browse this new town after her mother brought her here. But she didn't have to look further as Troy's gentle tone got her attention.

"I know just the place," he said before pointing to the side with his head. "My car is over there, come on."

Her heart was beating faster and louder than it ever did as she followed him to the huge garage. She held her bag tightly against her chest while waiting for him to bring the car out and she bit on her thumb, thinking that she could at least text Taylor to let her know what she had gotten herself into. Not that her friend would make the alarm in her head ring any louder but, at least, if anything were to happen to her, one person would know who she's with.

But she quickly forgot about Taylor when her breath got taken away by the shiny, black car Troy stopped right in front of her. He had brought the top down and she could smell the wonderful leather before she even got in. His stereo was blasting some Black Eyed Peas in all its glorious incandescent changing lights and the metallic, spinning chromes were still turning long after he had jumped off the driver's seat.

"Please, allow me, my fair maiden." She turned her ecstatic stare on Troy who was standing next to her with the door open, gallantly offering her to sit. She closed her eyes as soon as she sat down, savoring one of the most wonderful feelings she's ever had.

The leather was slick and soft under her. The seat automatically adjusted to her small height, bringing her comfort to an even greater level and she immediately felt the need to remove her shoes to run her toes in the carpet that looked so fluffy and nice.

"Damn!" She let out her admiration out in a breathless shout.

"I know," Troy replied with a proud and arrogant smile. He enthusiastically revved his eight horsepower beauty, before driving her off through the early night.

**3**

The three girls seemingly didn't even care about the car as they stopped right in the middle of the road, apparently laughing at some hilarious joke and Troy's left hand tightened on the wheel while making the car come to a stop. He sighed and cocked his head to the side when one of the girls blew him a kiss before they all laughed loudly while finishing crossing the streets. His eyes followed the girls' backside before shaking his head and slowly getting the car to go again through the busy streets, ready to stop hurriedly for the umpteenth times for careless pedestrians, who obviously didn't care about getting hit or not.

"Is it always like this?"

He briefly looked over at the young girl sitting next to him before frowning. It's been almost three years since he came downtown and yes, he thought, it's always been like this for as long as he could remember. The town of Paoha, in Hawaii, had always been considered as a small one with only two five-star hotels, local businesses, and one prestigious mall. It was one of those towns where luxury lived right across from poverty but no one seemed to care as it has become the norm and everyday life.

But here, in Kihea - that most people called 'downtown', which was mainly the joining point of four small cities- life was anything but blend and normal. From the tall buildings, the streets lighted with bright, neon lights that hurt the eyes, to the obscene prices for the most basic things, it was a place of relaxation where everyone from all ages came to unwind. Although prostitution was the main attraction, there was always something different to do and on the weekend, it was all just non-stop.

"You never came here before?" He asked quietly, still concentrating on driving slowly.

"We moved to Paoha only a couple months ago," Gabriella replied. "I haven't really had time for tourism."

Troy bobbed his head. "So that's why I haven't met you before!" Gabriella sent him a side look and he continued "In case you didn't notice, everyone knows everyone in Paoha. Specially the young community. There's not much to do other than clubbing and surfing so, they tend to stick together."

Gabriella stayed pensive for a second. "That explains why there were so many people at the party."

"That and because my sister and brother are..." He paused, thinking about his words. "Popular? Do you kids still use that word nowadays?"

Gabriella replied with a pointed look and Troy laughed. He took advantage of the red lights to look at the girl sitting next to him. She was clutching her bag placed on her knees while eagerly looking all around her, her big brown eyes shining with curiosity. His stare roamed from her legs that he could see with the dress pulling up, to finally rest on her chest.

She wasn't big chested but she wasn't flat either. His stare went back down, following the arch of her back this time and promised himself to get a better look of that part of her body, once they would get off the car. He didn't really pay attention to her when he first saw her in his mother's house, too preoccupied with trying to prevent the cat fight from happening but from the curves he could clearly see through her dress, he could guess, her lower body was way more prominent than her upper part.

She looked nothing like the girls his sister usually hung out with it and Troy wasn't surprised that Sharpay didn't like her. But he hadn't expected her to be so feisty, standing up to his sister, giving back just as hard as she was receiving it. She looked so petite and frail. He knew it wasn't none of his business but he just couldn't resist going to her when he saw Ryan go up the stairs to yell at Sharpay, leaving her standing alone on the sidewalk.

He was sure his best friend and mother will be furious at him for ditching the party but he couldn't care less at this exact moment. When he decided to go make sure she was okay, he wasn't planning on leaving with her. He followed his instincts and was amused with all the indecisiveness and deep thoughts he could read go on her face. He wondered if she was aware that all her emotions were so easily readable.

A loud and impatient honk brought him back, forcing him to take his eyes away from Gabriella and he looked at the car behind him through the front mirror, before he started driving again

"Where are you from?" He asked in conversational tone.

A short moment of silence went by before Gabriella finally whispered. "Wailuku."

Troy half turned to look at her with his frowns curving down, wondering if he had imagined the sadness he heard in her voice. "You miss it?" He asked.

She looked at him briefly before shrugging and looking back at the streets again. "I was forced to leave everything behind," she whispered again. "My childhood, my friends..." A heavy sigh came out of her chest as her head lowered forlornly and Troy knew that her sadness was real. But before he could say anything, she had already pulled herself up and forced a smile. "So, where exactly are we going?"

"Kapaow," the young man answered, deciding to let his curiosity go. "It's an underground club not far from here."

"Underground?" He looked at her staring at him with her eyes big again and he smiled.

"Yeah," he nodded, his eyes going back to the road. "Who knew such thing could exist around here?"

"Preposterous," she replied, faking being shocked.

He laughed. "I have a friend who is performing tonight. I had to cancel because of the party but I thought you'd might like it."

"And why would you think that?"

"I don't know," he shrugged before adding in a playful tone. "A little bird, most likely." He chuckled when she rolled her eyes at him. "But of course, if you don't like it just tell me and we'll leave."

She took a second before speaking again. "Will I need an ID to get in?"

Troy smiled lightly as he caught her biting into her lower lip. "It's private, so it's invite only," he explained while turning the car to their left.

She slowly nodded. "What kind of music does your friend play?"

"Indie... pop... who knows? I'm just going to support her. She just formed her band and as I haven't listened to them play yet, she invited me, knowing I'd be in town." Only silence came back at him and he gazed to her side to see her staring at him with what he could read as wonder. "What?"

"Nothing," she sighed. He felt her hesitating before she spoke again. "So you don't live in Paoha with the twins?" She asked before biting her lower lip again.

He took the time to wonder about how she managed to look both cute and extremely sexy doing that before he answered. "No, I go to Uni in Hilo, which is about three hours drive from the city. So, I live there."

A simple 'Ah!' was all he got for answer and he wished he could see her face to read her thoughts but had to concentrate as their destination came into view. They both stayed quiet as he drove through the underground parking and he only turned to look at her, once he parked the car. Now, the light was very bright and he smiled when for the first time, in the night, he clearly saw her face. And he felt really glad to see how very, truly beautiful she was.

She had long raven hair that curled down her back and framed her face with a little dimple on her chin. Her eyes were even more brown than he anticipated and so much more piercing as she looked straight back at him. He gazed at her cheeks getting a little crimson and he felt his fingers itch, urging him to touch her skin to know if it was as tender and perfect as they looked.

When he looked down at her lips, he couldn't help but feel a little appreciative. They were full, lightly shining from her lip gloss and slightly parted. He remembered how she constantly liked to bite into the lower one and he cocked his head, wondering how they would taste, if he nibbled them. Troy blinked when she asked him what was wrong and he scratched his throat embarrassingly.

"Sorry," he quickly opened his door and jumped out of the car to run over to her side. She had already begun to open the door when he grabbed it. "Please," he smiled while offering his hand to her. She looked at him with defiance at first, before hesitantly accepting his hand as a support for her to get out.

"I thought chivalry was dead," she mumbled while using her left hand to remove the wrinkles on her dress and trying to bring it further down her knees.

"I'm bringing it back to life," he mumbled back while closing the door.

He pressed on his key remote to close the top and lock his doors but couldn't prevent his eyes from checking the young girl out, his appreciative look going down her back to her bouncy feature as she walked in front of him. And it was with displeasure that he turned his stare away to accept the man-hug the bouncer, standing in front of the elevators that were going to bring them further down underground, was giving him with a friendly shout.

"Troy, my man!" The ex body builder smiled to him and Troy realized that the big guy still hadn't replaced the front tooth he had lost in a fight a while back. Which in a way made him seem so much more frightening. "What it do, bra? What it do?"

"Not much, Frank!" Troy replied with the same warmth in his tone. "Same shit, different day."

"So how come y'don't see ya 'round here no mo'?"

"Gotta go on about my studies, man." The young man kept his laughter in as he saw the rugged face of his friend scrunch up at his reply and he hurriedly placed his hand around Gabriella's waist to bring her from standing behind him. "Cathy said she's playing tonight."

As he expected, Frank's face quickly came back to normal as he got the message and changed the subject. His smile was back in place when he nodded.

"Yeah. She your plus one?"

Troy lowered his gaze to the nice looking girl still standing next to him and caught her eyes that were flying eagerly between him and the bouncer. As he had predicted, she was swallowing each and every word they were saying and the quicker he got her into the elevator, the better it'd be. So he simply acquiesced.

"Well then," Frank replied before stepping to the side and pushing a button on the wall. Soon, the doors opened and the large man presented them the way in. "Have a good night, bra!"

They both stayed silent even after the doors closed and started going down in a slow shaking movement.

"Are you sure there's a club down there?" Gabriella finally spoke. He turned to look at her as he heard some nervousness in her voice and followed her movement when she patted her bag before looking up at him. "I still got my mace, you know?"

Troy crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the metal wall, sending her a serious look.

"Little piece of advice: never tell a potential assailant that you are armed." She opened her mouth to retort but he continued, unperturbed. "By telling, you're letting him know how he can better attack you and how to defend himself against you."

"Knowing I am armed would make him change his mind about attacking me," she refuted anyway, seemingly sure of herself.

"No, it doesn't," Troy replied calmly. "It just ruins the effect of surprise you'd have on him otherwise. Besides," he continued, relaxed and consciously lowering his voice while taking a step closer to her in the already small space. "You had already made your first mistake."

He watched her swallow but strangely, didn't walk away from him. Just her breath picked up and he watched her chest go up and down before he deepened his stare in her captivating eyes again.

"And what was that?" She asked, almost breathlessly.

"You got in the car with me and allowed me to bring you to an unknown place," he stopped at only one hair of distance between them. None of them shifted their eyes away and if he didn't know better, he could have easily categorized that sudden tension that had formed between them as being sexual. "If I were planning on hurting you, your threat of having mace wouldn't be enough to stop me. You have no idea if there's really a club down there and I could do whatever I want to you right here, and there'd be no one to help you escape."

He wasn't exactly sure what game he was playing with her; he surely didn't want her to think he was about to assault her. But it was too damn tempting to see how she would react to him, his proximity and his words. And at this point, any normal girl would probably have fear written all her face but she, somehow, seemed mesmerized by him. And he found her fascinating.

"Are you planning on doing something bad to me?" She asked him slowly.

'Nothing that would bring you pain. Just pleasure.' The answer immediately came up his mind from being trained to get girls into his webs and his bed.

Troy felt desire run through him and breathed in deeply. Hey, he couldn't blame himself for wanting her, could he? She was a very beautiful, sexy girl and he was a guy. And by his many experiences with girls, her physical reactions to him already said a lot; she was just attracted to him as he was to her. Everything was possible at this point.

But he stepped back; something was telling him it wasn't the right time. "Not at all," he answered with a comforting smile. "Just making sure you don't get into any unnecessary trouble."

She looked at him strangely but he couldn't tell if she was about to talk or not when the elevator's doors dinged and she immediately turned her curious stare to where the sudden music was coming from. Troy took a step to the side, placed his hand on her back and directed her inside the club.

"Let's go have some fun," he murmured.


End file.
